Colleen's Travels
by KT Lee
Summary: What would have happened if Colleen had chosen to travel with Gilda St. Claire instead of becoming a doctor?
1. The Letter

**Summary:** What would have happened if Colleen had chosen to travel with Gilda St. Claire instead of becoming a doctor?

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**Chapter 1  
The Letter**

Colleen crossed the railroad tracks. She went up to the post office window.

"Dorothy told me you had a letter for me?" she said to Horace.

"Yeah, here it is," Horace handed her a letter.

"Thanks!" Colleen rushed back to the Clinic, where she opened the letter.

_Dearest Colleen,_ the letter said.

_I find myself able to perform again, and hope that you still wish to travel with me. If the answer is favorable, please write to me in San Francisco, and I will meet you in Denver. _

_Yours,_

_Gilda St. Claire_

Colleen clutched the letter to her heart. This is what she had been waiting for since one year ago. She still recalled the day Gilda had left with perfect clarity.

_"I'll miss you," Colleen told Gilda, as they stood at the train station._

_"I'll miss you too. I'll send for you, when I'm well again," Gilda replied._

_"Here's some laudanum, for the pain," Ma handed her a small bottle. "Make sure you see a doctor in San Francisco to make sure your throat is healing properly."_

_"I will. Thank you, for everything."_

_Gilda boarded the train. Colleen watched as the train rounded the bend. She felt happy, yet sad at the same time. She was giving up her dream of becoming a doctor, but she was excited to travel._

Colleen was drawn out of her reverie by a knock on the Clinic door. She opened it. Emma stood there, also holding a letter.

"Colleen, did you get a letter from Miss St. Claire?" Emma asked her.

"Yes. I told her I would travel with her, remember?"

"Well, I also got a letter from her. She wants me to travel around and sew her clothes for her."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Colleen squealed. "I was afraid to go by myself!"

"I'm not sure I should go," Emma told her. "Mr. Bray's grown used to me, he told me so himself. I don't think I could leave."

"Of course you can! This is a great honor! Just think of all the places we'll go!"

"Well, I suppose I can go. When do we leave?"

"Let's write a letter to Gilda. Then she'll tell us when to meet her in Denver."

**Dear Gilda, **Colleen wrote.

**Emma and I both wish to travel with you. I will take care of correspondence, etc., and Emma will sew for you. I miss you very much, and can't wait to see you soon. Please write and tell us when to meet you in Denver.**

**Yours,**

**Colleen and Emma**

**P.S. Is there anything you would like from Dr. Mike?**

"That should do it," Colleen said. "Let's mail it right now!"

She and Emma ran to the post office to mail the letter.

"I hope we get a reply soon," Emma said. "I can't wait to travel!"

"Me too." Colleen said, giving her a big hug.

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**I hope you liked it! **

**Please review for another chapter!**

**KT Lee :)**


	2. New York

**Summary:** What would have happened if Colleen had chosen to travel with Gilda St. Claire instead of becoming a doctor?

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**Chapter 2  
New York**

The Denver Depot was filled with people. Colleen and Emma stood by the wall, looking around for Gilda, who was due any minute.

"We're late, and I am absolutely appalled with myself!" Colleen saw the beautiful Gilda coming through the crowd. Max followed behind.

"Gilda! It's so good to see you again!" Colleen exclaimed, giving her a hug.

"Miss St. Claire," Emma said, curtsying.

"Emma, Gilda, please. After all, if we're going to be travelling together, we must be good friends."

"Gilda, your voice sounds wonderful!" Colleen said.

"Yes, I'm quite better, thanks to your wonderful doctor. I'm completely well and ready to sing!"

"Where are we going first?" Emma asked.

"New York City. We are going to spend the first day shopping for all sorts of goodies, and then on to Richmond, Virginia for a concert. From there, we will be going international!"

"Why don't we get on the train for New York," Max suggested. "It's due to leave any moment."

"Oh," Gilda said. "Girls, get your bags. Max, help them with those. This way, everyone." And she led them out onto the platform to get onto the train. They boarded her private car. "Max had it changed just slightly. I so loved the way Robert E. fixed it up, but we needed separate rooms. As such, I now have two private cars. One is our dining car, and where Max will stay, and the other is this one. It is partitioned into four rooms. A sitting room, and three bedrooms. A water closet is at the end." With that, Gilda sat down on one of the chairs in the sitting room.

The sitting room was diagonally opposite Gilda's room. Each had a corner slightly chopped off to make room for a door connecting the two. That way, no one had to walk through anyone else's room. Colleen and Emma soon soon found their rooms and got settled in.

"Would you like anything to eat?" Gilda asked when the two girls reentered the sitting room. "I can have some tea brought to us." She pulled a little bell rope. Soon after a waiter appeared with a covered tray. The tray held everything they needed for tea. Colleen marveled at how luxuriously Gilda lived, without being stuck up about it.

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Five days later, they were finally in New York City. Colleen had her own hotel room, and quite a grand one it was too. The first thing she did was take a long bath.

She decided to turn in early, for she knew that they would be shopping the next day.

* * *

The next morning, Colleen woke up early. Never the less, already people were up and about on the streets below. She dressed in the dress Emma had made for her birthday a year ago, and went to Gilda's room for breakfast.

"I'm thinking several dresses for each of you. You both will need everyday dresses, of course, and several evening dresses, not just for concerts, but parties as well. Emma dear, would you mind making dresses for yourself and Colleen as well as me? I simply don't trust any evening dresses made in stores, thought day dresses can be purchased like that," and she snapped her fingers.

"No, of course," Emma said. "I'll need more material though."

"That can be gotten quite easily," Gilda laughed. "Colleen, dark colors look so wonderful on you, we'll have to look for some. And Emma, I'm thinking pinks and lighter colors, definately."

After breakfast, the three set out to 'buy some goodies', as Gilda said. Gilda led them from shop to shop, picking dresses and fabrics, gloves and hats, earings and necklaces. It was absolutely the most fun Colleen had ever had. When she said as much, Gilda laughed.

"Oh, my dear Colleen, we've barely gotten started!"

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**Hope you liked it! **

**Please review!**

**KT Lee :)**


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